Beverage container protection device

ABSTRACT

A beverage container protection device to removably connect to a beverage container, the beverage container protection device including a main body to enclose a top portion of the beverage container therein, a flap assembly movably disposed on at least a portion of the main body to prevent movement of at least one particle therethrough and prevent a decrease of a carbonation level within a beverage of the beverage container, and a center aperture disposed on and within at least a portion of the main body to facilitate extraction of the beverage within the beverage container, such that the center aperture is covered by the flap assembly.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to beverage containers, and particularly, to a beverage container protection device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Once an aluminum beverage can is opened, the internal contents of the beverage can are immediately exposed to possible contamination. The likelihood of particles going into the beverage can is high because an opening of the beverage can is often unprotected for long periods of time. Some contaminants include dirt, dust, pathogens, and/or insects.

Furthermore, carbonation levels significantly decrease after the beverage can is opened which tends to result in the beverage no longer maintaining its desirable taste and/or temperature.

Therefore, there is a need for a beverage container protection device that covers the opening of the can to prevent contamination and reduces loss of carbonation.

SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a beverage container protection device.

Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.

The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a beverage container protection device to removably connect to a beverage container, the beverage container protection device including a main body to enclose a top portion of the beverage container therein, a flap assembly movably disposed on at least a portion of the main body to prevent movement of at least one particle therethrough and prevent a decrease of a carbonation level within a beverage of the beverage container, and a center aperture disposed on and within at least a portion of the main body to facilitate extraction of the beverage within the beverage container, such that the center aperture is covered by the flap assembly.

The main body may include a center surface to receive the beverage thereon, a rim circumferentially disposed on a first side of the main body around the center surface to facilitate movement of a liquid on the center surface to drain off the center surface, and an edge receiving groove disposed on at least a portion of a second side of the main body opposite with respect to the first side of the main body to removably connect to an edge of the beverage container.

The center surface may be planar.

The center surface may be concave with respect to the first side of the main body.

The edge receiving groove may have an insect repelling solution disposed thereon.

The beverage container protection device may further include an elevated edge disposed on at least a portion of the rim to extend away from the center surface.

The flap assembly may include a filter body, and a handle hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the main body and connected to the filter body to move in response to an application of force thereto, such that the filter body moves from closed over the center aperture in a first position to at least partially opened away from the center aperture in a second position, and the filter body moves from opened away from the center aperture in the second position to closed over the center aperture in the first position.

The beverage container protection device may further include a funnel disposed on at least a portion of the main body and connected to the center aperture to guide the beverage from an opening of the beverage container into the center aperture in response to inverting the beverage container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric top view of a beverage container protection device with a flap assembly in a closed position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric top view of the beverage container protection device with the flap assembly in an opened position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.

It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

-   -   Beverage Container Protection Device 100     -   Main Body 110     -   Center Surface 111     -   Rim 112     -   Edge Receiving Groove 113     -   Flap Assembly 120     -   Filter Body 121     -   Handle 122     -   Elevated Edge 130     -   Center Aperture 140     -   Funnel 150

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric top view of a beverage container protection device 100 with a flap assembly 120 in a closed position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric top view of the beverage container protection device 100 with the flap assembly 120 in an opened position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

The beverage container protection device 100 may be constructed from at least one of rubber, fabric, cloth, and metal, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The beverage container protection device 100 may include a main body 110, a flap assembly 120, an elevated edge 130, a center aperture 140, and a funnel 150, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main body 110 is illustrated to have a circular shape. However, the main body 110 may be rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. Moreover, a shape of the main body 110 would correspond to a shape of a beverage container 10. The main body 110 may enclose a top portion of the beverage container 10 therein.

The main body 110 may include a center surface 111, a rim 112, and an edge receiving groove 113, but is not limited thereto.

The center surface 111 may be disposed at a center portion of the main body 110. Moreover, the center surface 111 may be planar. Alternatively, the center surface 111 may be concave on a first side (e.g., top surface) of the main body 110, such that a liquid disposed on the center surface 111 may move toward a center of the center surface 111.

The rim 112 may be circumferentially disposed on the first side of the main body 110 around the center surface 111. In other words, the rim 112 may be disposed around a perimeter of the center surface 111. Additionally, the center surface 111 may be elevated with respect to the rim 112. As such, the rim 112 may facilitate movement of the beverage and/or any liquid on the center surface 111 to drain off the center surface 111. Thus, the rim 112 may direct the beverage and/or any liquid away from the main body 110.

The edge receiving groove 113 may be disposed on at least a portion of a second side (e.g., bottom surface) of the main body 110 opposite with respect to the first side of the main body 110. More specifically, the edge receiving groove 113 may be circumferentially disposed around the center surface 111 corresponding to the elevation of the rim 112. Therefore, the edge receiving groove 113 may removably connect to and/or receive at least a portion of an edge 11 of the beverage container 10 therein. The edge receiving groove 113 may be flexible to form an airtight and watertight seal around the edge 11 of the beverage container 10, such that watertight may refer to any liquid including the beverage within the beverage container 10.

Furthermore, the edge receiving groove 113 may have a layer of natural insect repellant disposed thereon. For example, the edge receiving groove 113 may be lined with an insect repelling solution, such as birch tree bark, citronella oil, lemongrass, tea tree oil, but is not limited thereto. As a result the edge receiving groove 113 may deter insects from approaching.

The flap assembly 120 may include a filter body 121 and a handle 122, but is not limited thereto.

The filter body 121 may be constructed of a filter material, such as an electrostatic non-woven polypropylene fiber. Optionally, the filter body 121 may be constructed as a mesh surface and/or N95 material.

The filter body 121 may be movably disposed on at least a portion of the center surface 111. The filter body 121 may prevent a decrease of a carbonation level within a beverage of the beverage container 10, such that a carbonated gas cannot escape.

The handle 122 may be hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the center surface 111 and/or connected to the filter body 121. Moreover, the handle 122 may perpendicularly protrude away from the center surface 111 with respect to a first direction. As such, the handle 122 may facilitate gripping thereof.

The elevated edge 130 may be disposed on at least a portion of the rim 112. The elevated edge 130 may be elevated with respect to the center surface 111, such that the elevated edge 130 extends away from the center surface 111. As such, the elevated edge 130 may be disposed furthest away from the second side of the main body 110. The elevated edge 130 may facilitate drinking by providing a higher surface to contact lips of a user to provide comfort during drinking.

The center aperture 140 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the center surface 111. The center aperture 140 may facilitate extraction of the beverage within the beverage container 10, such that the user may drink the beverage. The center aperture 140 may be covered by the filter body 121. However, the filter body 121 may move in response to an application of force to the handle 122, such that the filter body 121 may move (i.e. pivot and/or rotate along the handle 122) from closed over the center aperture 140 in a first position to at least partially opened away from the center aperture 140 in a second position. Conversely, the filter body 121 may move from opened away from the center aperture 140 in the second position to closed over the center aperture 140 in the first position.

Accordingly, the filter body 121 may prevent contamination from at least one particle by preventing movement of the at least one particle therethrough, such as dirt, dust, pathogens, and/or insects while the filter body 121 covers the center aperture 140.

The funnel 150 may be disposed on at least a portion of the second side of the main body 110 and/or connected to the center aperture 140. In other words, the funnel 150 may perpendicularly protrude away from the second side of the main body 110 and/or the center aperture 140 with respect to a second direction opposite to the first direction. The funnel 150 may guide the beverage from an opening 12 of the beverage container 10 into the center aperture 140 in response to inverting the beverage can 10 during drinking. Also, the funnel 150 may be sized and constructed to snugly fit into the opening 12 of the beverage container 12.

Therefore, the beverage container protection device 100 may prevent contamination from the at least one particle and/or prevent the decrease of the carbonation level within the beverage container 10. As such, the beverage container protection device 100 may extend enjoyment of the beverage within the beverage container 10.

The present general inventive concept may include a beverage container protection device 100 to removably connect to a beverage container 10, the beverage container protection device 100 including a main body 110 to enclose a top portion of the beverage container 10 therein, a flap assembly 120 movably disposed on at least a portion of the main body 110 to prevent movement of at least one particle therethrough and prevent a decrease of a carbonation level within a beverage of the beverage container 10, and a center aperture 140 disposed on and within at least a portion of the main body 110 to facilitate extraction of the beverage within the beverage container 10, such that the center aperture 140 is covered by the flap assembly 120.

The main body 110 may include a center surface 111 to receive the beverage thereon, a rim 112 circumferentially disposed on a first side of the main body 110 around the center surface 111 to facilitate movement of a liquid on the center surface 111 to drain off the center surface 111, and an edge receiving groove 113 disposed on at least a portion of a second side of the main body 110 opposite with respect to the first side of the main body 110 to removably connect to an edge 11 of the beverage container 10.

The center surface 111 may be planar.

The center surface 111 may be concave with respect to the first side of the main body 110.

The edge receiving groove 113 may have an insect repelling solution disposed thereon.

The beverage container protection device 100 may further include an elevated edge 130 disposed on at least a portion of the rim 112 to extend away from the center surface 111.

The flap assembly 120 may include a filter body 121, and a handle 122 hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the main body 110 and connected to the filter body 121 to move in response to an application of force thereto, such that the filter body 121 moves from closed over the center aperture 140 in a first position to at least partially opened away from the center aperture 140 in a second position, and the filter body 121 moves from opened away from the center aperture 140 in the second position to closed over the center aperture 140 in the first position.

The beverage container protection device 100 may further include a funnel 150 disposed on at least a portion of the main body 110 and connected to the center aperture 140 to guide the beverage from an opening of the beverage container 10 into the center aperture 140 in response to inverting the beverage container 10.

Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A beverage container protection device to removably connect to a beverage container, the beverage container protection device comprising: a main body to enclose a top portion of the beverage container therein; a flap assembly movably disposed on at least a portion of the main body to prevent movement of at least one particle therethrough and prevent a decrease of a carbonation level within a beverage of the beverage container; and a center aperture disposed on and within at least a portion of the main body to facilitate extraction of the beverage within the beverage container, such that the center aperture is covered by the flap assembly.
 2. The beverage container protection device of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises: a center surface to receive the beverage thereon; a rim circumferentially disposed on a first side of the main body around the center surface to facilitate movement of a liquid on the center surface to drain off the center surface; and an edge receiving groove disposed on at least a portion of a second side of the main body opposite with respect to the first side of the main body to removably connect to an edge of the beverage container.
 3. The beverage container protection device of claim 2, wherein the center surface is planar.
 4. The beverage container protection device of claim 2, wherein the center surface is concave with respect to the first side of the main body.
 5. The beverage container protection device of claim 2, wherein the edge receiving groove has an insect repelling solution disposed thereon.
 6. The beverage container protection device of claim 2, further comprising: an elevated edge disposed on at least a portion of the rim to extend away from the center surface.
 7. The beverage container protection device of claim 1, wherein the flap assembly comprises: a filter body; and a handle hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the main body and connected to the filter body to move in response to an application of force thereto, such that the filter body moves from closed over the center aperture in a first position to at least partially opened away from the center aperture in a second position, and the filter body moves from opened away from the center aperture in the second position to closed over the center aperture in the first position.
 8. The beverage container protection device of claim 1, further comprising: a funnel disposed on at least a portion of the main body and connected to the center aperture to guide the beverage from an opening of the beverage container into the center aperture in response to inverting the beverage container. 